KANE'S EXPEDITION (1854) 29 



season travels on : the young ice grows thicker, and my 

 messmates 1 faces grow longer, every day. I have again to 

 play buffoon to keep up the spirits of the party.'''' On the 

 18th of August the amount of wood was reduced to 6 lb. a 

 meal. A suggestion was now made by some of the party 

 that an effort should be made to reach the Danish settle- 

 ments. On 24th August, Dr. Kane called all hands and 

 frankly explained his reasons which determined him to 

 remain with the brig. He gave his permission, however, 

 to such as were desirous of making the attempt to reach 

 the settlements to do so. Eight men decided to remain 

 with Dr. Kane. The others received a liberal share of the 

 resources, and left the brig on 28th August. One of this 

 party — George Riley — returned a few days afterwards. 

 Dr. Kane now took steps to make the brig as warm as 

 possible in view of the fact that there was little fuel left. 

 Moss and turf were collected with which the quarter-deck 

 was well padded. A space about 18 feet square was 

 enclosed below, and this was packed from floor to ceiling 

 with inner walls of the same material. The floor was 

 covered 2 inches deep with oakum, on the top of which 

 was placed a canvas carpet. The entrance to this space 

 was from the hold by a low moss-lined tunnel. The whole 

 arrangement was an imitation of the igloe of the Esqui- 

 maux. The outer-deck planking of the brig was now- 

 stripped off and stacked for firewood. On the 11th 

 September the stock of game consisted of six long-tailed 

 ducks and three ptarmigan. 



Soon after this, Dr. Kane started with Hans to try and 

 obtain seal in the open water some distance from the 

 brig. Seal were sighted, but before they could be reached 

 the ice became thin and dangerous. An attempt was 

 made to reach a solid floe, but when within 50 paces 

 from it, the sledges broke through. What followed is 

 best described in Dr. Kane's own words : " My first thought 



